Gaudete Sunday-Advent 2012

And John found joy in this. “My joy is now full. He must increase and I must decrease.”

The Baptist was joyful because he was humble. In fact, he shows us the true nature of this virtue. Humility is not beating up on yourself, denying that you have any gifts, talents, or importance. John knew he had an important role which he played aggre

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I am not the Christ, he said, nor Elijah, nor the prophet. And the question came: Who are you, then? He replied: I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness:

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He saw where his salvation lay. He understood that he was a lamp, and his fear was that it might be blown out by the wind of pride.

If he had said, “I am the Christ”, you can imagine how readily he would have been believed, since they believed he was the Christ even before he spoke. But he did not say it; he acknowledged what he was. He pointed out clearly who he was; he humbled himse

John is the voice, but the Lord is the Word who was in the beginning. John is the voice that lasts for a time; from the beginning Christ is the Word who lives for ever.

Gaudete Sunday-Advent and John the Baptist

The humility of John, whose role was to prepare the way of the Lord, is highlighted.

His joy was complete to see Jesus increase and himself decrease in importance.